Preparation and Characterization of SiC Nanoparticles for ATF-FCM

Abstract

Accident Tolerant fuel (ATF) concept was put forward after the Fukushima accident. Among different kinds of ATF, Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated Fuels (FCM) have been paid more and more attention in recent years. SiC matrix is one of the important constituent parts in FCM fuel system, which is sintered from kinds of SiC powders. In this study, SiC nanoparticles were prepared by Fluidized Bed Chemical Vapor Deposition (FB-CVD) method using Hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) as precursor, aimed at reducing the sintering temperature and pressure of FCM-SiC matrix. Experiments of different temperatures with different argon gas ratios were carried out. It was found that good crystal SiC could be obtained from 850°C to 1250°C, under pure hydrogen or H2: Ar=15:1. Different H2 carrier gas flow rate tests were also conducted. With the increase of hydrogen flow rates, the SiC was transformed from 3C-SiC to other types, such as 6H or 15R, but no significant effect was found on particle shape. Based on the characterizations of XRD, SEM and TEM, the results showed the spherical SiC nanoparticles could be obtained as well as 20 nanometers in diameter at the condition of 1150°C, H2: Ar=15:1, under different hydrogen flow rates. Different hydrogen flow rates had little influence on the particle size of SiC nanoparticles.